D.C. government employees are about to receive better paid leave benefits if this AFGE-backed bill that has just been approved by the D.C. Council becomes law.
The DC Government Paid Leave Enhancement Amendment Act (B24-615) was approved unanimously on its first Council vote at the Legislative Meeting Sept. 20. The second vote will be on Oct. 4, then it will go to the mayor for signature, and then Congress before becoming law.
The bill would repeal the current paid family leave program and establish a new, expanded parental, family, and medical leave program.
Under the bill:
- There will be a new type of leave option: medical leave (in addition to existing parental leave and family leave).
- Employees will be able to take paid leave more than once a year and can combine different types of leave.
- This new type of leave will be available starting January 2023, but if employees must take qualifying leave starting Oct. 1, 2022 and they use other leave like sick leave and annual leave, they can have that leave restored or get retroactive leave if their time was unpaid.
- D.C. employees will not be required to use their sick leave before having access to this new medical and family leave program.
AFGE members worked really hard to push for the new leave program. Several AFGE members testified before the D.C. City Council on this bill in summer. AFGE will continue to push to fund additional weeks of paid leave, including pre-natal leave, in the DC City Council session and in the mayor’s next budget.